Home shopping originated in the 1950s and 1960s in the form of infomercials. In these original infomercials, a product would be displayed and discussed on screen for a limited amount of time during which a home user could call and order the product. This form of shopping gained instant popularity mainly due to the convenience of shopping from home and is still in use to this day.
However, it was not until the 1980s that the first major advancement in home shopping technology occurred. In 1982, the Home Shopping Network (“HSN”) debuted as the first cable channel exclusively dedicated to home shopping. The channel operated virtually continuously and displayed thousands of products for sale. To order a product, a user only had to call the HSN toll-free telephone number and place an order.
Since 1982, the home shopping industry has increased exponentially and many other companies, such as QVC, have emerged as industry leaders. Currently, there are many different types of home shopping channels. Some sell many different types of merchandise while others sell only specific types of merchandise such as collectibles.
However, home shopping does have its drawbacks. To order each item, a user must call the shopping service and order the product through an automated service or through an operator. This can be burdensome when a consumer desires to order many products. Additionally, this method of ordering may not be possible for consumers who are hard of hearing or otherwise handicapped.
Therefore, there clearly exists a need for a system which simplifies the home ordering process. The system should easily integrate with the preexisting home shopping application while offering the consumer a simpler and streamlined ordering method.